Do Better

Black and White Cookies

After making the Cinnamon Babka, Couch Cubicle suggested I try a marble rye. Maybe someday. But for now here’s the Black and White Cookie. I found this recipe on Epicurious, one of my favorite online recipe sources.

Black and White Cookies (makes about 15 cookies)

For the cookies:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

for the icing:

•  2 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together milk, lemon juice and vanilla in a cup.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and milk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Scoop out the cookie batter and place on a silpat lined baking sheet. These spread slightly, so make sure to leave room. I got 6 on a standard size tray. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 11-13 minutes. Allow to cool on the tray 2 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Frost these while they are still warm, the frosting goes on so evenly and smoothly.

While the cookies bake, cream together the confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.

After letting the cookies cool slightly, spread the white frosting over the entire top of the cookie. Let the white frosting set and then spread the chocolate frosting. If the chocolate frosting gets too firm, heat it in the microwave until it is smooth.